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THE MEDIA NOV_2018 - TMOL

ED’S NOTE
On the reco rd… Of cities, by laws and out of home
It was at the PAMRO conference held at Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe in 2016 that we received news
that the Democratic Alliance had won Johannesburg, albeit in a coalition with other parties.
I remember remarking to a veteran out of home media pro that Joburg’s outdoor industry was in for
a rude shock and would find out exactly how onerous it could be doing OOH business in a DA-held
metro. I know. I live in Cape Town and the drama is ongoing.
In fact, it’s been over a year since the Cape Chamber of Commerce threw a hissy over the latest
draft bylaw, calling the City of Cape Town “control freaks” that emphasised “petty and excessive
regulation”. Eina. That was in May 2017. It’s 18 months later, and it’s still a “draft bylaw” and the City of
Cape Town is still “engaging with relevant stakeholders”.
Now Joburg out of home media owners are under the whip from Mayor Herman Mashaba’s
council. ADreach are embroiled in ongoing legal action, and the South African Property Owners
Association (SAPOA) has decided to intervene on behalf of its members, saying Joburg’s new bylaws
are onerous and target private property owners for fiscal penalties that are not applicable to council
land. By the City of Johannesburg’s own admission, 70% of the city’s billboards are illegal, and most
are on council-owned land. SAPOA has secured an interdict preventing the new bylaw from being
promulgated.
So that’s one of our big out of home media stories in this issue, written by top business journalist, Marcia Klein. Lucinda Jordaan has
explored the connections between alcohol brands and fabulous experiences, made even more shareable via the powerful relationship
between out of home and mobile via social media. Technology is impacting on the OOH sector as it is on all other aspects of media,
so we’ve taken a look at the tech that’s changing one of the world’s earliest forms of advertising.
The Media. Got to love it.
Glenda
P 2 The Media | wagthedog.co.za